Environment Minister Peter Kent, pictured here at international climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa, has defended controls over his department's scientists as an "established practice."

The report revealed that the government had sent out an email, warning dozens of Environment Canada scientists attending a conference on polar issues that they would have to seek permission before speaking to reporters and that their conversations would be recorded.

“There is nothing new in the email that was sent to attendees,” Kent said in the House of Commons on Monday, in response to questions from NDP deputy leader Megan Leslie.

“It is established practice to coordinate media availability. In fact, many of our younger scientists seek advice from our departmental communications staff.”

Kent, an award-winning broadcast journalist, also suggested that his former counterparts in the media were to blame for causing problems by asking scientists to answer inappropriate questions.

“Where we run into problems is when journalists try to lead scientists away from science and into policy matters,” Kent said. “When it comes to policy, ministers address those issues.”

Leslie slammed the government’s approach, suggesting that it was trying to assign “babysitters” to harrass the scientists.

“Why is the minister putting a gag order on scientists?” she asked.

Kent has previously come under fire for defending the government’s communications policies, prompting calls for his resignation.

“While we can accept that some members of the Conservative cabinet might not agree with our stand on the muzzling of government scientists, we are shocked that you with your long and distinguished career in journalism would not just appreciate why we have taken a stand, but vigorously support it,” wrote a group of science writers and the head of a labour union in an open letter addressed to Kent, published April 4 in Embassy magazine.

The letter also noted that a younger Kent had left his job as anchorman of the National on the CBC in 1978 after petitioning the CRTC not to renew the broadcaster’s licence until its management “created procedures and protocols to prevent political interference in editorial decision-making.”

“What we did expect, given your distinguished and extensive background in journalism, was that when a reporter questioned you about the present muzzling of federal scientists by the Conservative government, the 2012 incarnation of the man who was recipient of the 2006 President’s Award from the Radio-Television News Directors Association of Canada would have said that not only are you against it, but that if the muzzling doesn’t stop, you will be submitting your resignation to the Prime Minister,” said the letter.